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Author Notes:This recipe can be modified in any number of ways: different vegetables, different spices. The beauty here lies in the slow roasting, which leaches the flavors out of the bones and into the meat. Jacking up the heat at the end leaves you with a wonderful, crispy skin. —Hi, I'm Brian.

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Serves 6-8

1
whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces

1
head of garlic, cloves peeled and crushed

1/4
cup za'atar

1/4
cup white wine

1
tablespoon coarse salt

2
teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1
butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2
lemons, quartered

Preheat the oven to 300º.

In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, garlic, za'atar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Usually I'll mix half each the za'atar, olive oil, salt, and pepper with the chicken and garlic until coated, then I'll mix the rest. That keeps the lovely flavors from clumping.

Put the butternut squash into the bottom of a roasting pan, in a single layer. Then put the chicken on top of the butternut squash, skin side up. Sprinkle the white wine on top.

Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 2 hours.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven, remove the chicken from the roasting pan to a large plate. Smash the butternut squash and garlic together into a beautiful mush.

Serve the chicken with the butternut squash mush, and with a squeeze of lemon on top.